Centrifugal fan cooling system

ABSTRACT

A centrifugal fan is disposed within a chamber formed in part by a pair of laterally spaced radiator cores and a horizontally mounted oil cooler with the centrifugal fan being effective for creating an air flow outwardly through the cores.

United States Patent Bentz et al.

[ 1 Nov. 25, 1975 CENTRIFUGAL FAN COOLING SYSTEM Inventors: Erwin J. H. Bentz, Washington;

Marvin G. Getz, Morton; Roger A. Stapf, Dunlap, all of 111.

Assignee: Caterpillar Tractor Co., Peoria, Ill.

Filed: Mar. 18, 1974 Appl. No.: 452,117

U.S. Cl. 123/4133; 123/41.49; 165/51; 180/54 A; 180/68 R Int. Cl. F01P 11/08 Field of Search 180/68 R, 54 A; 123/41.ll, 123/41.65, 41.33,196 AB, 41.48, 41.49; 236/34, 35; 165/51 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS De La Monte 165/51 Josephs 165/51 2,204,926 6/1940 Clingerman... 180/54 A 2,237,497 4/1941 Munford .1 180/54 A 2,358,663 9/1944 Scott-Iversen l80/54 A 2,524,798 10/1950 Hoskinson 123/196 AB 2,597,549 5/1952 Trembley 123/41.48

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,223,897 3/1971 United Kingdom 123/41.11

Primary ExaminerCharles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner-Daniel J. OConnor Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Phillips, Moore, Weissenberger, Lempio & Strabala [57] ABSTRACT A centrifugal fan is disposed within a chamber formed in part by a pair of laterally spaced radiator cores and a horizontally mounted oil cooler with the centrifugal fan being effective for creating an air flow outwardly through the cores.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 SheetlofZ 3,921,603

US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,921,603

CENTRIFUGAL FAN COOLING lSYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to cooling systems and particularly to an arrangement of cooling coils around a centrifugal fan.

Axial flow fans are commonly used to improve the circulation of air through the radiators or heat exchangers of mobile vehicles. Such axial flow fans are quite satisfactory where the radiator capacity is rather large as compared to the size of the engine. However, the increasing horsepower used in suchvehicles today requires much greater cooling capacity and efficiency.

One approach to solving this problem has been to increase the velocity of air flow through a radiator. This, however, has the disadvantage of low efficiency because of the high turbulence created by increasing air velocity and undue high noise levels also created by the air velocity.

Increasing the size of the radiator is not a practical solution to the problem because of the desire to maintain a reasonably small vehicle profile and because of lack of space available for such increased radiators.

The use of multiple radiators has been satisfactory in some situations. However, this also requires increased amount of space to place the radiators.

Examples of prior art cooling arrangements are shown in the following patents: US. Pat. No. 3,203,499, issued Aug. 31, 1965, to Bentz et al; US. Pat. No. 3,236,216, issued Feb. 22, 1966, to Eck et al; and US. Pat. No. 3,377,023 issued Apr. 19, 1968, to Costa et al.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a pair of radiators and an oil cooler are arranged to form the sides and top of an enclosure in which is rotatably mounted a centrifugal fan. The enclosure is open at one end corresponding to the end of the fan so that the fan generates-pressure within the enclosure which pressure forces air out through the respective radiators and oil cooler in a substantially even flow therethrough.

It is the primary object of the present invention to overcome the above discussed problems of the prior art.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement of fan and radiators that is more compact and efficient than heretofore known systems.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a compact and efficient arrangement of cooling fan and radiators.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a vehicle incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing a portion of another vehicle incorporating an alternate embodiment of the present invention; and,

FIG. 4 is a front and elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a centrifugal fan cooling system in accordance with the present invention generally designated by the reference numeral 10 incorporated in a vehicle 11. The vehicle may be any suitable type such as earth moving vehicle as illustrated. The vehicle includes. the usual operator station at 12 disposed substantially over the forward end of an engine indicated at 13 which is mounted toward the rear of the vehicle. A transmission indicated at 14 is spaced to the rear of the engine and drivingly connected to the engine in the usual manner for transmission of power to the drive wheels and the track. A power take-off pulley 15 is provided at the rear of the engine 13 for powering the fan of the cooling system. The cooling system 10 is mounted above the transmission 14 and is enclosed within a protective enclosure 16 having a plurality of screen or grills 17, 18, 19, and 20, suitably arranged to facilitate air flow therethrough. The cooling system includes a pair of laterally-spaced, vertically-oriented or disposed radiator cores 21 and 22 secured to a suitable mounting frame 23 such as by plurality of L-shaped brackets 24. The mounting frame is rigidly secured to the vehicle frame not shown. A horizontally disposed oil cooler 24 is secured between a pair of L-shaped brackets 26 which are in turn secured to the upper brackets 24. The radiator cores, oil cooler and the top of the transmission are arranged to form or define an open ended chamber designated generally at 27. The term radiator is used to refer to the radiators through which the engine coolant flows, and the term oil cooler is a radiator through which the engine oil or lubricant flows to be cooled.

-A centrifugal fan 28 is rotatably mounted within the chamber 27 between the vertical radiator cores 21 and 22 and below the oil cooler 25. The fan is secured or mounted on a horizontal shaft 54 which is preferably disposed with its axis extending substantially along the same direction as the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. A pair of transverse cross braces, one of which is shown at 29, are secured to the mounting frame 23 adjacent the end of the fan to provide mounting support for the fan and axle. Each cross brace 29 is provided with a suitable bearing assembly 30 secured thereto for rotatably mounting the shaft 54. A suitable pulley 31 is secured to the forward end of shaft 54 and is drivingly connected by suitable means such as a pair of V-belts 32 to the power take-off pulleys 15.

The driving connection between the engine and fan is such that when the engine is in operation, the fan 28 is rotated at arelatively high speed by the engine. When the fan is rotating, it draws air through the grill 17 into the center of the fan parallel to its axis and expels the air outwardly normal to the axis and through the radiator cores 21 and 22, and the oil cooler 25. One of the desirable characteristics of the centrifugal fan is that it has good aerodynamic action in that air is rapidly accelerated and converted to pressure energy within the chamber 27. The air is discharged by the fan into chamber 27 where it is slightly pressurized and is thereby forced to flow outwardly through the radiator cores and oil cooler utilizing the total surface area of these radiators. With the air flow substantially evenly distributed over the total of the radiator cores and oil cooler, considerably less turbulence is created in the air flow and thus noise level is lower.

An alternate embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein the engine 33 of the vehicle 34 is mounted toward the forward end of the vehicle. A power take-off shaft or pulley 35 is provided at the forward end of the engine for driving the fan. in this embodiment the centrifugal fan cooling system is mounted in front of the engine within a protective enclosure 36 comprising generally a front grill 37, side grills 38 and 39, and a top grill 40. A pair of vertically disposed radiator cores 41 and 42 are disposed on either side of the fan and are secured to respective sidewalls of the protective enclosure such as by an upper L-shaped bracket 43 and a lower L-shaped bracket 44. A plate 45 extends between lower brackets 44 and cooperates with the radiators and oil cooler to form an open ended chamber 46. A horizontally disposed oil cooler 47 is disposed between the upper ends of the radiator cores 41 and 42 to complete the enclosure.

A centrifugal fan 48 is rotatably mounted within the enclosure and chamber defined by the respective radiators for rotation about an axis generally extending along the same direction as the axis of the vehicle. The fan is preferably mounted on a horizontal shaft 49 which is suitably mounted in bearings 50 which are carried by cross braces 51. The cross braces 51 extend across each end of the shaft at each end of the fan to support the fan. A suitable pulley 52 is mounted on the rear of the shaft and connected by suitable means, such as a pair of V-belts 53, to the power take-off pulley 35.

This arrangement provides an arrangement wherein a very large radiator area may be utilized within a fairly compact space. The compact space also permits the radiator area available to provide the function of a relatively large radiator. The use of the centrifugal fan provides a relatively even flow of air through all of the radiator cores, thus providing a more even distribution of the heat exchange between the radiators and the flow of air. The good aerodynamic characteristics of the arrangement provide a relatively quiet arrangement for high speed operation.

Thus, from the above description, it is seen that we have provided an improved cooling system arrangement wherein a plurality of radiators provide an enclosure for a centrifugal fan with the arrangement such that the air from the fan flows relatively evenly through all the radiators.

We claim:

1. A cooling arrangement for vehicle engines comprising:

A centrifugal fan mounted on a vehicle for rotatio i about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle; a plurality of radiators mounted around said fan in planes substantially parallel to the axis of said fan, i

including a pair of radiators through which is circulated thecoolant from the engine of said vehicle,

and a radiator through which the lubricating oil of said engine circulates, wherein the radiators for said engine coolant are vertically mounted on opposite sides of said fan; f said radiator for said lubricating oil is horizontally mounted above said fan; and, i said radiators forming a plurality of the sides of an from said fantravels outward through said radiators substantially evenly.

2. The cooling arrangement of claim 1 includinga" I grill assembly enclosing said radiators and said fan;

said grill assembly including frame means including cross members at the ends of said assembly; and,

a shaft rotatably mounted'in bearings on said cross members for rotatably supporting said fan for rotation about its axis.

a plurality of radiators including at least an oil cooling radiator and an engine coolant cooling radiator;

a centrifugal fan mounted for rotation about an axis;

4 4. The cooling arrangement of claim 3 wherein said vertically disposed radiator is operatively connected for circulation of engine coolant therethrough; and,

the horizontally disposed one of said radiators is operatively connected for circulation of engine lubricating oil therethrough. 5. The cooling arrangement of claim 4 including a grill assembly enclosing said radiators and said fan;

said grill assembly including frame means including cross members at the ends of said assembly; and,

members for rotatably supporting said fan for rotaenclosure: enclosing said fan so that air expelled 3. A cooling arrangement for a vehicle comprising;

one side of said fan in a plane generally parallel to i a shaft rotatably mounted in bearings on said cross a 

1. A cooling arrangement for vehicle engines comprising: A centrifugal fan mounted on a vehicle for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle; a plurality of radiators mounted around said fan in planes substantially parallel to the axis of said fan, including a pair of radiators through which is circulated the coolant from the engine of said vehicle, and a radiator through which the lubricating oil of said engine circulates, wherein the radiators for said engine coolant are vertically mounted on opposite sides of said fan; said radiator for said lubricating oil is horizontally mounted above said fan; and, said radiators forming a plurality of the sides of an enclosure enclosing said fan so that air expelled from said fan travels outward through said radiators substantially evenly.
 2. The cooling arrangement of claim 1 including a grill assembly enclosing said radiators and said fan; said grill assembly including frame means including cross members at the ends of said assembly; and, a shaft rotatably mounted in bearings on said cross members for rotatably supporting said fan for rotation about its axis.
 3. A cooling arrangement for a vehicle comprising: a plurality of radiators including at least an oil cooling radiator and an engine coolant cooling radiator; a centrifugal fan mounted for rotation about an axis; at least one of said radiators vertically disposed on one side of said fan in a plane generally parallel to the axis of said fan; another of said radiators horizontally disposed above said fan in a plane generally parallel to the axis of said fan; and said radiators being arranged around said fan to at least partially enclose same so that air from said fan is forced through aLl said radiators substantially evenly.
 4. The cooling arrangement of claim 3 wherein said vertically disposed radiator is operatively connected for circulation of engine coolant therethrough; and, the horizontally disposed one of said radiators is operatively connected for circulation of engine lubricating oil therethrough.
 5. The cooling arrangement of claim 4 including a grill assembly enclosing said radiators and said fan; said grill assembly including frame means including cross members at the ends of said assembly; and, a shaft rotatably mounted in bearings on said cross members for rotatably supporting said fan for rotation about its axis. 